Relief-valve.



.l. M. DOUGHERTY & H. C. TABLER.

RELIEF VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3. 1916.

1,2 1 Q 9 1 3 Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Joann. nouennn'rv mama c rm arlnn. one; Louis, MI$SOURL i 2 'nE IEr-vALfvE.

A specificattersfatent. v Pa tented- To all viwmz'tv may concern;

'and'HA'R Y 0,, TABLER,- citizens of the United- 1 States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have.

.5 inventediacertain new-and useful Improve- 1 mentinRelief-valvesfofwhichthe follow-. ing' isj a fully clear, and exact description,

I such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto makej'anfd' use the same, reference being "had to; the accom- Ouri'invention relates to new anduseful improvements-in relief valvesof the type generally utilized in connection with hot water heating systems, the principal object of our invention being to provide a comparativelylsimple, inexpensive and 'e1licient d'evice which. is positive in action and which the event that the pressure in said; system 7 rises to an abnormal degree or beyond a redeterminedpoint. v f f g A further objectof' our invention is to provide'a devicejw-hereiin the normal pressure within the system'isrinstrumental in maintaining the valvefu'pon i t's -seat\and'in v I housing 10 and. spacedapart therefrom to closed position and further, f'to we utilize the I provide "a device having a :.-spring pressed" Y the trapped air chamber; to mount the valve uponits stemjorcarrierso thatlit ha's inde5f I fcharge-jend'of pipe 20'and opening 19 is a strainer 21, preferably fprmed of wire netpendent movement relative to said;ste r'n, thus permittingjit to-be seated b y thepressure uponthe'fvalve and its seat; toprovide an economical device whlchd'oes notrequire the providea relief valve or pressure-controller which does not require recharging orany. at tention after having'been properly-installed foruse.

'With the" foregoingand other objects in view, our invention relates to certain novel;

v v i ing .th'e-valve'in unseated or open position. panying drawings, forming part I of this Y Y 7 line 3 -31013'Fig1:

will automatically open to permitthe discharge of water and air from'the-system in pressure and resiliency of a body 9f trapped air .to .1 actuate certain mechanicalf devices" which 'in'turn unseat the valve to-permit the system to relieve-*- itself ofexcess pressure. -Further-objects of-euy invention are to diaphragmwhichjforms one of the walls ofwithin thesystem-independently of the ac"-;. tion of the spring-pressed diaphragm; to f Y provide a strainerinthelpath oftravel-of the water toward the valveftherebycpreventing sediment and the like from; entering the valve Y chamber. accumulating use ofmercury. or the -like,'fand further, to

' formed short vertically disposed slots 25.

a features of. construction and arrangementof parts, hereinafter more fully described,f

claimed .andillustrated in theaccompanying drawings, inz which- V a F gure' 1- is avertical sectionalview taken through the center of'a device of our im-' proved -1construction and showing the valve in closed position upon its seat. a sectional-view similar to'Fig. 1 and show- Fig. 3 ma horizontal section taken on the p In the drawings illustrate the preferred construction of the-valve 10 designat es a housing, the same being provided at its upper end with an integral outwardly projecting flange 11 and with a series of in-E' wardly projecting lugs 12. ,These lugs, --as shown, oocupypdsitions': a short distance below the top ofthe housing;

Formed integral :th the bottom of the housing is a collar l3'into which istapped' a discharge'pipe- 1 1 and removably seated in the upper end oflsaid collar isan'annular valve member 15,..the same being provided at its upper 'endx-wijth an annular up- Fig.2is"' wardl y projecting'rib 16 which vserves as a" i valve seat. Fixed to'one ofthe walls of the form a vertically disposed chamber 17 is a cap plate 18 andfthexlower portion of this j Wall is cut away to form 'an'opening 19 portion of chamber '17i's'a pipe 20. Ar-

ranged within-chamber 17 between" the .dis-

annularring 16 and depending'froni-the un-" derside of said valve is a series of'fi'ngers 23 which serve as guides to com d position said valve upon -.its seat. Formed integral with or fixed to the valve is a pair of upwardly projecting/ears, 24, in. which are A housing 26 closed at its upper end is provided with a flange 27 at its lower end,

- said flange-resting upon "and being fixed to flange 11 in any suitable manner. "Formed integral with the lower portion of this housmal pressure in the system.

ing and ma plane slightly above the lower:

edge thereof is a series of inwardly projecting lugs 28. Interposed between the flanges of the diaphragm'29 and the centers of the 1 plates 30 is theupper end of a rod. 31, the

lower end of which is positioned between the ears 24 and seated in the'lower end of said rod is a transversely disposed pin 32 which passes through the slots 25. Thus, the valve 22 is connected to the lowerend of rod 31 so .that it has a slight vertical movement independently of said rod, the length of such movement beingggvernedby' thelength of the-slots 24.

Positioned within housing 26 with its lower end bearing on the uppefone of plates 30 is a compression spring 33. The upper end of this spring bears against'the underside of a plate 34, said plate bearing against an adjusting screw 35, which latter is. seated in the upper end of housing 26. This screw provides means for adjustin the tension of spring 33. A drain opening is formedinthe bottom of the housing, sa1d opening'being normally closed by a. screw plug 36.

Where our improved relief valve is uti lized in connection with a hot water heating system, pipe 20 is connected to the main return pipe of saidsystem, preferably-at a pointadjacent to the boiler and water from the system enters pipe 20, fills chamber '17, and passes-from thence into the lower pontion of thevalve chamber within housing 10, thus trapping air in said last mentioned chamber. This trapped air iscompressed to the normal pressure. maintained within t e system to which the valve is'connected, and this air pressure is exerted downward on disk valve 22, thereby normally maintaining the same upon its seat a certain degree b 16 and closing the passageway into discharge pipe 14. 1

As. hereinbefore stated, valve 22 connected to rod 31 so as tohave a s ht vertical movement independently the f, and thus the valve will maintain its closed osition upon seat 16, regardless of the position.- of rod 31 andjdiaphragm-29'as long as the latter is subjected to'normal pressure from.

the air within the valve chamber, and which latter, of course, 1s dependent upon the nor- In he event of the development of ex' cess or abnormal pressure' within the System, such excess pressure be transmitted through the water within chamber 17 and within the lower portion of the valve ehamber, thus further compressing the air trapped within the valve chamber and this increased A pressure acting against the underside of dia- -phragm.29 will cause the same to flex up- 7 wardly as illustrated in Fig. 2, and in .so doing the resistance offered by compression spring 33 is overcome." As the diaphragm ,is thus moved upward, rod 31 will likewise f be drawn upward, but during the first part of such upward movement the valve 22 will not be" unseated by reason of the fact that the. pin 32 carried rod 31 is traveling througlr'the-upper portions of theslots I .As diaphragm .30 and rod 31 continue tomove upward under the increasin pressure,

- valve 22 willbe. drawn upward, t us enter ing the passageway through valve member 15 and permitting the excess pressure to discharge through pipe 14. When the excess pressure has been thus relieved,.d1aphragm 29 will move downward to its normal position and valve 221' will be reseated under the normal pressure of the air trapped within .the. valve chamberf- The flexing movement of diaphragm 29 is limited in both directions by the lugs 112 and 28, the same servi'n stops against which the curved edges 0 the plates 30 are adapted to, engage. k

The tension of spring 33 is regulated by" adjusting the position of screw 35 and while there is little or no pressure within thera-irchamber beneath the diaphragm, said spring,

forces the diaphragm downward until the certain amount of vertical movement'inde pendent of rod- 31 and thus at no time does spring 33 act to force valve 22 to its seat, for, as heretofore, stated, said valve isseated sure of thevtrapped air, Under normal Working conditions the pressure of the" edge of the lower -plate30 rests on lugs 12.- When so positioned, the valve 22 still has a a and retained on its seat solely by the prese trapped air forces the diaphragm upward so that it occupies an intermediate position be tween the seats; of lugs 12 and 28., (See The screen 21is of extremely fine and serves as a strainer for all water enter mg the valve chamber, and consequently sediment and fine-particles of dirtare pres vented from entering the valve chamber and" j adhering to the valve and valve seat.

The surface area of the diaphragm is s everal ti'mesgreater than' th'at bf/the valve 22,

thus precluding any possibility of the device v 'failing'to act (in the event of the accumula t on of increased pressure within the system andwithin the trapped air chamber. A relief valve o tion is comparatively simple can be cheaply manufactured, is automatic m ope ration, ref or attention after'havquires no rechar ing been roper y installed, and-while par: 7 ticularly esigned for use in connection our. improved construe its hot water heating systems, can be advantafl geously utilized with various forms of apparatus which require the automatic relieving of excess pressure. a

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of our improved valve can be made'and substituted for. those herein shown and described, without departing from the, spirit of-our' invention, the "scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

We claim: 1

. 1. The combination with-a hot water heat-' ing system, of a chamber, adapted to" receive water from said system, which water traps and compresses air in the upper portion of said chamber, there beingan opening in the 1 lower portion of said chamber, avalve nor mally closing said openingand. held. in

closed position by the normal pressure of air trapped within said chamber, a diaphragm forming one of the. walls of the chamber, a rod cari'ied by said diaphragm and having a connectionwith-the' valve,

whereby the latter can 'move independently of said rod. I or 2. The combination with-ahot water heating system, of a chamber adapted to receive 'lower portion of said chamber, a va water from said system, which water traps and compresses air in the upper portion of sald chamber, there being an opening in the mally closing said opening and. held' in closed position bythe normal pressure of air trapped within said chamber,'a['diaphragm ,ceive water from said system, which water traps and compresses air'in the upper portion of said chamber, there being an open? ing in the lower portion of said chambt'n;i

a valve normally closing'said opening an held in'clo'sediposition by the normal pressure of air trapped within said chamber, a diaphragm forming one of the walls of the I chamber, 1 a rod carried by saidv diaphragm andg'havin a connection withthe valve,

diaphragm, a rod carried by said diaphragm, and a valve loosely connected to said rod, which valve is held in position upon its seat by the normal pressure of the trapped air within the housing.

. 5. The combination with a hot Water heating system, of a chamber adapted tofrei ceive water from said system, which water traps and compresses air within said chamber, a diaphragm forming one of the walls of the chamber, there being an outlet opening in the' wall of the chamber posite said diaphragm, a rod carriedby said dia- .phragm, and a valve loosely connect ed to' said rod, which valve is held in position upon its seat by the normal pressure ofthe trapped air within the housing and unseated by the outward movement of the -diaphragm and the rod carried thereby.

c. The combination with a hot waterheating system, of a chamber adapted to receive water from said system, 1 which water traps and 'compressesair within said chamber, .-'there being an auxiliary chamber through which the water passes before entering the first mentioned chamber, 1 a strainer 7 within said auxiliary chamber, there being'an outlet at the IOWGI' 'GIId of the first mentioned'chamber, a diaphragm forming one of the walls of said chamber, a rod carried by said diaphragm, and a valve having a loose connection with said rod, which A valve normally closes said outlet opening.

1 7. The combination with a hot water'heating system, of a chamber adapted to receive water from: said system, which water traps and compresses air withinsaid chamber, said chamber being provided with an outlet opening, a diaphragm associated with the chamber so as to be actuated by the air pressure therein, a valve connected to saiddiaphragm and independently movable for a limited distance with respect thereto, which valve normally closes the outlet opening in the chamber, and means for limiting the movement of the-diaphragm in both-directions.

ing'system, of a chamber adapted to receive water from said system, which water traps and compresses air within said chamber, said chamber being provided with anoutlet open ing, a diaphragm associated with the cham- -ber=so as to be actuated by the air pressure whereby the latter can move indefigndently therein, a'valve connected to said diaphragm of said rod, yieldin pressure means for resisting the outwar movement "of the dia- 4 phragm, and means for regulating theten traps and compresses. air within said cham her, a diaphragmiormingpneof thewalls of the chamber, there being an outlet open ing the wall 0; the chamber opposite said and-independently movable for a limited distance with respect thereto, which valve normally closes the outlet opening in the cham- 8. The combination with a hot Water heat- I ber, means for limiting the movement of the diaphragm in both directions, and means for ieldingly resisting the outward movement of said diaphragm. 9. The combination with a hot water heating system, of a chamber adapted to receive water from said system, which water traps and compresses air within said chamber,

said chamberjbeing provided with an outlet v opening, a diaphragm associated with the I the chamber, means for limiting 'ment of the diaphragm in both directions,

chamber so as to be actuated by the air pressure therein, a valve connected to said-dia phragm and independently movable for a limited distance with respect thereto,'which valve normally closes the outlet opening in the movetrapped and compressed by'wat'er from said system, said chamber beingprovided with an outlet opening, a diaphragm associated with the chamber and acted upon by the pressure of'the air trapped therein, a rod carried by said diaphragm and a valve di 'rectly connected to said rod and adapted to move freelyinboth directions for a limited distance thereon, which valve normally closes the outlet opening of the chamber.

' 1 1. In a device of the class described, a

chamber in which air is trapped and compressed, said chamber being provided with an outlet opening, a diaphragmassociated with the chamber and acted upon by the a ressure of the air trapped'therein, yielding pressure'means arranged to resist the movement imparted to the diaphragm b the air pressure, a rod connected to said dia hragm,

with the lower end of said rod, whereby said valve may move freely in both directions for a limited distance upon said -rod, which valve, normallycloses the outlet opening of" the chamber under the influence of the pres a sure of the air trapped in said chamber, and

.means against which the diaphragm -is adapted'to engage, whereby the valve is recombination with' a hot water heating system,,;of a chamber in which air is lieved of the influence of the yielding pressure means.

12. In a, pressure controller,a chamber nection with said rod and independently I movable for a limited distance with respect thereto, which valve normally closes the outa let opening in the chamber unden the influence of the air trapped in the chamber,

means for yieldingly resisting the outward movement of the diaphragm, and means for limiting the inward movement of said diaphragm, whereby the valve is relieved of the influence of the yielding resistance means. 4

13. In a relief valve of the class described, a chamber in which air is trapped and compressed, said chamber having an outlet opening, adiaphragm associated with the chamber and acted upon by the pressure of the air trapped therein, a member carried by said diaphragm, and a valve connected to' said member so as to move independently for a limited distance with respect to said member, which valve normally closes the outlet opening from'the chamber and is held upon its seat by the pressure of the air trapped 'within the chamber. I a valve having apin and slot connection" In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix nesses, this 31st day of March, 1916. I

JOHN M. DOUGHERTY. HARRY C. TABLER. V Witnesses: M. P. SMITH,

M. A. HANDEL. 

